Founder's family worries about path of the GI Forum

The family of Dr. Hector P. Garcia, for whom the founding chapter of
the GI Forum is named, plans on fighting for the doctor's legacy
despite the chapter's recent suspension by the national board of
directors.

"This is not acceptable to us," said Cecilia Akers, Garcia's
daughter. "We are going to fight every which way we can to get the
charter back."

Akers planned to attend the organization's National Conference in
Kansas, which kicked off Tuesday, to talk with national officials about
getting the charter reinstated.

The American GI Forum National Office sent a letter dated July 14 to
Bob Ortiz, vice commander of the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Founder's Chapter
of the American GI Forum, informing him the charter was suspended
because the chapter did not turn over financial documents the board
requested.

Representatives with the founding chapter have said they could not
provide the documents because the membership was conducting an internal
audit.

The suspension of the charter, some GI Forum members and the Garcia
family contend, did not follow proper procedure according to the
organization's constitution.

Dr. C.P. Garcia, brother of the GI Forum founder and the newly
elected state commander, dismissed the move to suspend the chapter as a
power play by national organization leaders.

"The Garcia family is very unhappy," C.P. Garcia said. "They aren't
being professional and there have been no discussions or
sit-downs."

The reinstatement of the charter is only one change Akers would like
to see in the organization.

She said there has been a downward trend in membership nationwide.
The decline in membership can be attributed to the fact that most
members are World War II veterans.

"Unless we can change leadership at the top with strong new leaders
that will follow my father's legacy, the group will continue to lose
membership," Akers said.

She said she would like to see more recruitment of young Iraq war
veterans and those returning home from Afghanistan.

Akers said she also would like to see the organization return to a
civil rights agenda and believes members should speak up on issues such
as immigration and English-only propositions.

"My father's was a legacy of inclusion, being able to work on both
sides of the fence," she said.

Akers is committed to continuing the work her father began to
improve the lives of veterans, and she believes he is guiding her
efforts.

"I feel he is helping me through this," Akers said. "I feel his
strength all around."